Just five years into their career, Filipino girl group BINI has stormed to the forefront of the P-pop scene. Made up of Aiah, Colet, Maloi, Gwen, Stacey, Mikha, Jhoanna, and Sheena, the eight-piece group is taking Filipino pop to new heights.
This year, BINI is conquering another milestone, taking the stage at Coachella and making history as the first Southeast Asian girl group to play the iconic festival. Riding the momentum of their global rise, the group has just dropped two new tracks: “Unang Kilig,” a Tagalog banger capturing that dizzying first-crush feeling, and “Honey Honey,” an English pop gem with a sweeter, lighter twist on love.
As one of the leading P-pop groups today, how important is it for BINI to bring Filipino music and culture to a global audience?
Aiah: It really is very important to us, and it means so much. Putting our craft, our music, and our voices out there on the global stage is not something everyone is given the chance to do. So as much as possible, we like to put in all our effort. We like to be very involved. That’s why we’re also collaborative with our label and our management, because that’s how much heart we want to put into it when we present our music to the global scene.
Could you tell us about the writing process for “Unang Kilig”? How did it begin, and what led you to capture that feeling of a first crush through such a bright, bubblegum pop sound?
Jhoanna: Actually, we’ve just released two songs. So, “Unang Kilig” — from the word itself, kilig — refers to that first stage when you’re in love. It’s that most exciting feeling. I think this is the genre we’re most comfortable with. We’re most at home with this sound because it’s bubblegum pop. It’s the genre where we can truly express ourselves, and this is really our core.
What are your thoughts on the whole “SEAblings” trend, referring to Southeast Asians supporting their homegrown music groups?
All: Being part of the SEAblings — being a group from Southeast Asia and having the support of Southeast Asian countries — is so fun, and it’s such a big deal for us. It feels like the world is calling for us to go out there. We’re so excited, and we hope there’s a chance we’ll be able to meet them soon and perform on the same stage. Hopefully we’ll get to collaborate with one of them, or with any of our fellow SEAblings.
You also have a surprise song prepared for fans, “Honey Honey.” What’s the story behind it, and why did you feel this was the perfect track to surprise everyone with?
Colet: Well, first off, the difference is the language. “Unang Kilig” is in Tagalog, while “Honey Honey” is in English. But genre-wise, I feel like they’re kind of the same, which is bubblegum pop. It’s very upbeat and very fun. It also talks about love, but in different ways. In “Unang Kilig,” it’s about the first stage of love — having a crush. In “Honey Honey,” it’s more about a lighter, sweeter kind of love. I think “Honey Honey” has a more endearing tone to it.
As the first Southeast Asian girl group to perform at Coachella, what kind of performance or elements would you most like to bring to that stage, and how would you showcase Filipino culture through it?
All: Being there, we definitely don’t want to forget our Filipino roots. I can’t say too much because I don’t want to spoil anything. But if there’s one word to describe it, it’s “Filipino.” We want to incorporate that into our craft. I’m a bit nervous talking about it because I don’t want to reveal too much yet. But being able to put ourselves out there on the global stage and bridge what we have here with the world is already an achievement for us. That’s what we’re aiming for when we perform there.
I’d like to add one hint. Since it’s our first time performing at Coachella, we want it to be very grand. We want to showcase what we have here in the Philippines. We’re hoping to incorporate more Filipino touches and elements into our music — maybe Filipino instruments, maybe some of our dance steps. So watch out for that at Coachella. That’s all we can share for now.
The Blooms have been incredibly supportive of BINI. Was there a particular fan moment that has really stayed with you while preparing for this era or performance?
Maloi and Others: Last Valentine’s Day, on 14 February, we actually had a mall show. That was the very first time our Blooms heard “Unang Kilig,” and we also performed the choreography for the first time. But we only did the verse and the first chorus. It was great fun because they were so excited for the full song. From that moment, they couldn’t stop talking about “Unang Kilig” and “Honey Honey.” We’re so grateful for that because they support us with so much passion. Thank you so much to our Blooms.
How do the songs you’ve prepared resonate with the audience?
Aiah: I think we’re at the right age. We’re at that age where we feel kilig — where we get butterflies. We all have celebrity crushes, and that’s normal. The message we want people to feel when they hear our songs is the storytelling and the heart that we put into them. Filipinos love storytelling that’s full of emotion. Hopefully we can inspire listeners through our songs. It’s not just about us releasing songs, and they’re not just about love. We also have songs that are inspirational, and hopefully people can take lessons from them and find reasons to keep fighting in life.
What would you say sets BINI apart from other pop groups on the global stage, and what do you hope new listeners will notice first about your music and performances?
Gwen and Aiah: Definitely our connection with people. Especially when we went on tour in North America, even if not everyone who watched us there was Filipino, there were people of many different backgrounds in the audience. Music is a universal language, and it’s amazing to see how we can still relate to each other. We share the same energy, we connect, and it becomes a bonding experience through music. Experiencing that is really cool.
‘Unang Kilig’ is out now and BINI will be performing at Coachella this April. Follow via @bini_ph
Interview Belinda Yohana
